Hard Time, Bad Time
by ABSOLute Chimera
Summary: An attempt to rewrite JCA in a more mature tone, with fewer plot holes, better character development but without changing the core story. No unnecessary grittiness and no unnecessary censorship either. No filler episodes. For now only Season 4. Expect dark!Jade and Tohru's fear of oni to be explored much more than in show.
1. The Mask Of The Shadowkhan, part 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Jackie Chan Adventures, because if I did, this all would be canon.**_

 _ **Before you go on with reading this story, I feel like it's only fair to explain what is this all about.**_

 _ **This fanfic is sort of a typical "darker and edgier" fanfic retelling, taking a child-friendly show and giving it a more serious tone. It isn't just about using topics of death and violence, but also about trying to patch up plot holes, give characters more depth and a bigger level of character development. It is not a completely different story, since I use the same plots, just tailor them a little. If this was all, I wouldn't feel a need to write a warning, though.**_

 _ **I can't promise anything, since I am still writing it, but this story might touch uncomfortable topics like slavery, interspecies relationship, sexual harassment, physical and psychological abuse, manipulation, torture, heck, even age gap and incest. Nothing too graphic, and if events are getting too dark, I'll put special warnings at beginning of chapter.**_

 _ **I am not adding grittiness for sake of grittiness, but neither am I removing it just because it can make someone uncomfortable. These are ancient demonic creatures after all, let them be as bad as they should be.**_

 _ **Basically, if it fits, it sticks.**_

 _ **You've been warned.**_

 _ **Enjoy.**_

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* * *

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 **Chapter** **1**

 **The Mask Of The Shadowkhan, part 1**

 **.**

"Dullsville," Jade sighed.

"No, the capital of Georgia is Atlanta," uncle Jackie lowered the card and looked at his niece with a smile on his face.

The girl muttered under her breath and buried the face in her arms. How long have they been studying this stupid stuff? She swore she could feel herself getting older just from how boring it was!

"Jade, your geography test is tomorrow," tried to reason with her Jackie. "Let's try… Oregon!"

Yeah, like she needed another reminder of that. Miss Hartman just had to be the meanest teacher ever to give a geography test at the end of the second school week. Who does that?!

"Why does Tohru get to study the fun stuff?" she pointed at the wizards.

They watched Uncle raise an old, dusty card. A purple symbol (which to Jade looked more like a pan with tentacles) was printed on it.

"Uncle is waiiiting," the old man adjusted his round tiny glasses and furrowed thin grey eyebrows.

"Oh, I know this one," Tohru rubbed back of his back, probably sweating from the tension. "Uh, that is a symbol for conjuring spell, one which requires garlic and, uh, ginger."

Jade smiled at her friend. Of course he did, he was Tohru, he was going to be the best chi mage he world had ever known.

"Correct," the Chinese man smiled, resting the hand with card on lap.

Uh-oh.

"IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A CHICKEN CHAO MEIN!" he shouted at his student.

Tohru flinched and almost fell back. It was pretty funny, such a big warrior afraid of such an old fragile man. At least, anyone stupid enough to underestimate Uncle would think that.

Jade wasn't one of them.

"Do you plan on becoming a chi wizard, Tohru?" his voice was calm again, as he leaned forward and looked him right into eyes with a stern expression. "Then you must prepare for day when new evil enters our world."

Jade hoped it would happen ASAP. She'd better fight demons than algebra. There she at least had a chance.

* * *

Life of a criminal was a funny thing.

One day you're part of a powerful international crime organization, next day you're getting enslaved by some dark deity, and then you're serving grey shit for breakfast in a jail's cafeteria.

Chow wondered if he should find it hilarious or tragic.

The truth was, he just didn't give a fuck anymore.

"Bon Appetite," he threw some munch on a plate.

A black dude in a grey beanie with the food-tray passed next to Ratso, who added more of the same shitty substance and then to Finn.

"Today's special," he muttered, which typically meant 'it's good enough to pass as an animal food'.

When the man left and it seemed like no one else was coming, they waved at the two guards, standing near exit doors in the kitchen. The room smelt of iron and meat, raw vegetables and some flowers. Not nice flowers, but poisonous. Chow would know, he's had… worked with chemicals in his younger years.

The trio was dressed in orange costumes, black boots, grey boots, their hair cut to an "appropriate" length and style, special electrical cuff attach to each man's left foot used to detect their location and alert guards if they walked into prohibited areas. It was all bearable though, lack of his favourite sunglasses – now this was the worst. He felt naked.

"Hey, we're out of meat, mind if we get to the freezer?"

"All together?" the man squinted his eyes so much he looked like he tried to outasian Chow.

"We need a lot, it's heavy, and Ratso pulled an arm yesterday," the redhead shrugged.

"Slipped on a banana peel," their pal said in a sad tone.

Chow snickered. He wasn't sure what was funnier – a criminal dude whining like a child or the fact that it was actually true.

They were a really special trio. Um, four-io. Granted not like anyone cared about Hei Hu…

"You two stay here," the guards pointed at Finn and Chow. "We'll help Ratso."

"Thanks," the man smiled as sincerely as only Ratso could.

It was hard to explain, but even guards and the vilest of criminals here had a soft spot for the Italian man. His "dumb puppy"-like charm worked well.

"What about him?" Chow pointed at Daolon Wong doing weird gestures over a fuming pot. "What if he tries to escape or attacks us?"

Judging from the smell, if the old geezer was cooking soup, the soup had already gone bad.

"Yeah, right," the guard, Kenny, was his name? laughed. "Call us if he starts biting your ankles."

"Just asking," Chow shrugged.

When the guards and Ratso finally left, Finn turned to Wong.

"Hey, how is that special sauce coming?"

The old man glared at the two, but for once neither flinched. He no longer had his powerful magic, and for once treated them with some semblance of respect. Though it was likely to end once he finished his spell. Was it really that bad in prison compared to an eternal slavery?

…Well, at least magic slavery wasn't so boring.

"While I no longer possess my full powers, I, Daolon Wong, have amassed almost all the spell ingredients required to make our escape," the man narrowed his eyes and returned to whispering in ancient Chinese.

Chow had little to none understanding of what he was saying, and he doubted he'd like to know.

"Then we just have to wait for our special delivery, Hak Foo and Ratso should be back veery soon," Finn chuckled.

They didn't have to wait long. Several minutes later Ratso and the redhead came from the storeroom, no guards watching them whatsoever.

"…so I just hope someone finds them before they freeze," the Italian man told the kung-fu fighter, who seemed to ignore him. "They aren't so bad, Kenny even lets me watch TV sometimes."

"This had better work, wizard," Hei Hu ignored him, growled and tossed something to the old man.

Chow leaned closer and recognized something furry. And bloody. A tail? A cat's tail?

Those wizards and their fascination with creepy shit like that.

"Ahh, yesss!" Daolon Wong grinned with his yellow teeth, catching the thing with a speed and ease unbelievable for such an old man.

He ripped it apart, breaking those tiny little bones and skin, throwing them into the pot. Squirted some blood into the mix and threw the rest on the floor.

The Enforcers watched in awe and disgust, as the wizard began loudly chanting a spell, the magical potion glowing with purple light, as a symbol appeared on its surface. Now Chow could recognize it for sure, and the memory was not pleasant.

That weird thing from Shendu's tome they tried to steal back from Chans. Which resulted in them getting their asses literally spanked because that little brat got this all "Shadowkhan" power to her.

He had a bad feeling about this.

"Come to me! Yes!" he loudly exclaimed. "Liberate us, Shadowkhan!"

A blast of blue light escaped the pot, and Daolong Wong rose his arms with a victorious expression.

"Rise, my army of darkness!"

The enforcers walked closer, but hid behind the wizard's back. Just in case.

Something was not right, though. The symbol was no longer just lines, it had colour, volume and… it felt like it was actually watching them. It was hard to tell with the liquid boiling and bubbling, but still…

"Your army?" a deep yet smooth new voice startled everyone.

They gasped, staring at the symbol of Shadowkhan talking.

"I am the one and only King of the Shadowkhan," it scoffed at the wizard.

"Tarakudo? Awakened?" for the first time ever Wong sounded… terrified?

"And ready to reclaim my ninja magic," he looked left and right, as if looking for a way out.

Daolon Wong, one of the loudest and most impatient bosses Chow has ever had just stared at the symbol in bafflement. What the fuck was that thing? Another demon sorcerer? Now one sealed in a pan?

"A task for which I will require…" the thing's gaze stopped at them. "Assistance."

Uh-oh.

"We have to check on desert now!" Finn and other Enforcers began backing away.

Another blast of magic turned the pot into pieces, and a giant gloating head emerged from it. It looked like a human's, just with pointy ears and horns. Bald but compensating with long and bushy grey moustache, beard and eyebrows. Dark-orange – or probably red – it had black swirly tattoos on its face around eyes, lips and on horns' tips, resembling tiger's stripes somewhat.

Wong fell on the ground, staring at the beast with awe.

The tigerman head grinned from ear to ear, revealing large and sharp teeth, probably strong enough to tear their bodies into pieces if it wanted to. Olive (or amber? he really needed his glasses) eyes right at them.

"Uhhh," Ratso reached for a doorknob.

The monster frowned and air around them flickered. Suddenly they couldn't move anymore. Chow felt some power lifting him in the air along with other three Enforcers.

"I suppose breaking you out of your prison is only fair for breaking me out of mine," the red monster smirked and opened one the doors with his power.

Before they could say anything, he was already levitating them away.

* * *

What's the point of living? Where do we come from? Why food at school cafeteria tastes like it was made of demon crap?

…Do demons even poop?

"Jade," uncle Jackie broke her out of her lazy super philosophical thoughts.

"I'm listening, listening," she sighed.

"Now, let's try-" he pointed at the map.

A loud sound caught everyone's attention. Some car stopped right in front of the shop. A very loudly. Captain Black slammed the door open and marched in.

Jade felt like all drowsiness was gone in a flash. Finally! Something happened!

"Jackie!" the man walked to his friend. "The Dark Hand thugs have escaped from prison!"

Yes! Action! Adventures! Magic!

"Ah! Daolong Wong!" Uncle gasped.

"The good news is, the wizard is still in custody," Captain Black smiled at the old man.

He was about to say something more when his phone rang. The man picked it up and listened to someone talking on the other end.

"Millar airfield? A floating what?" he frowned. "Send in every available agent-"

Unsurprisingly Uncle grabbed the phone out of his hand and angrily answered to the call.

"Your assistance will not be necessary! Magic will defeat magic! Goodbye."

Without giving a damn he just threw the thing on the floor and turned back to Jackie. Jade snickered at sad expression on Black's face as he silently picked up the phone. He didn't even try to argue anymore.

"Daolon Wong or no Daolong Wong, a new greater evil has forced its way into our realm! When we find Dark hand thugs we will find this evil, hurry!"

Jackie and Tohru nodded and got out of their seats, ready to go.

"Yes!" Jade jumped on her feet but her uncle pushed her back into the seat.

"50 states, 50 capitals," he pointed at the map.

"But Jackie, I'm 14! If I can marry in some countries I definitely can go and fight demons!"

"Jade, study the map, we'll handle it," Jackie shook his head.

"Ugh," she pouted and crossed her arms.

That was unfair.

She watched them leave the house, get in a black van and drive away. The girl sighed and glared at the map. Study it, ooof cooourse.

A sudden idea stuck her.

Study it, of course.

Jade smirked.

* * *

Chow recognized the place. Hangars, hangars, more hangars. Warm sunlight. And no walls or guards. Life outside of prison was nice, even while working for a demonic tyrant.

It was an airport where Valmont hid some of his personal planes. While he still was the head of Dark Hand, of course. The Chinese man was surprised no one confiscated all of that yet.

Or maybe they did and they were just wasting their time here.

"Serve me well and your reward will be great," the tigerman grinned at them with all his probably 66 fangs.

It probably should've unnerved Chow more, but really, he'd seen worse.

"Yeah, about that," Finn began nervously. "Eh, we appreciate your busting us and all, oh Tarakudo-san, but the truth is we're kind of burnt out on the whole 'Henchmen for Higher Things'."

Chow wasn't sure why he even tried. It's not like it ever worked before.

"Aah, so you require… motivation," the floating head answered with a tone the Chinese man didn't like at all.

He looked away and frowned. The Enforcers watched in horror how he lifted several metal barrels with his telekinetic powers, rose them way up and they began falling down with incredible speed.

Shit!

"Waaah!" they all cried out and covered their heads, but nothing happened.

Chow opened his eyes and looked up. The barrels were floating a few inches above their heads, air around them slightly distorted.

"We're on board!" Ratso squeaked.

"When do we start?" Chow asked.

"Ready to work!" Finn proclaimed.

Even Hei Hu looked a little shaken, but didn't say anything.

"That's the spirit!" Tarakudo grinned. "Now where is this Dark Hand jet?.."

A sudden noise attracted everyone's attention. An unfamiliar black van stopped several metres away from them, but they didn't need to look inside to know who it was.

"Visitors?" the demon raised his bushy long eyebrows.

"Jackie Chan and his friends," Finn almost spitted that name.

"He's always getting in our way," Ratso complained.

"So now would be an excellent time to bring out the ninjas!"

"Not just yet," the tigerman shook his head and floated in the Chans' direction. "Ready the plane."

He was… taking care of them personally and didn't make them do all the dirty work?

"Hey, do you think we can-" Finn whispered to his buddies.

"I wouldn't risk that."

The four criminals ran into the hangar and left Tarakudo to deal with Chans. Chow was for once excited to be on a demon's side.

* * *

Jackie had hard time describing what he saw.

A big floating tigerman head with a beard and moustache? That was bizarre even by demons' standards! There was something familiar about it, though…

The thing floated in their direction with a frightening deep roar. It was getting closer and closer.

"Oni," he heard Tohru whisper as the giant stopped in his tracks.

"Uh, new evil, right?" Jackie looked at his Uncle, who also seemed shocked.

That was no good news if both sorcerers looked like they met a ghost.

"The symbol of the Shadowkhan!" the old wizard finally said.

Of course. Ninjas and power which turned Jade into... "Queen". He was behind that magic?

"What good is a cymbal without drums?!" the demon's eyebrows twitched.

Metal barrels and other heavy stuff lying around was flung in them like with some invisible power it was possessed and they had to quickly dodge it. Levitation, huh?

Tohru though was just… standing.

"Tohru!" Captain Black shouted and ran to the wizard, trying to pull him away. "C'mon, big fella! Trying to save you a nasty bruise here!"

One of the barrels hit Black and he fell on the ground with a pained gasp and the demon stared at him with a smug grin. Jackie felt a burst of anger fill his heart but he managed to keep it together. He couldn't let feelings control him. He was about to run to his friend but thankfully Tohru broke out of his trance.

"Captain Black!" the Japanese wizard picked up the unconscious man, carrying him back to the van.

"Jackie! Quickly floating head!" Uncle shouted and pointed at the monster.

The young man nodded and ran towards the demon, who turned to him. His face turned into a slight frown again and Jackie knew something was coming this way. Specifically, parts of a plane. Bolts, plates and everything sharp.

Jackie dodged them but hit his back as he fell on the hard ground.

Ugh, that was going to hurt the next day.

He looked around searching for cover and noticed a light red aircraft standing nearby. He ran there, dodging more metal objects flying his way and finally hid under it.

Phew, this fight wasn't going well. Even worse than he expected. Good thing Jade-

"Hi, Jackie."

"Woah!" he almost jumped and turned to face his niece.

"Before you get mad, listen, the capital of Kansas is Kansas-city," the young teenage girl looked at him with a smug smile.

"The capital is Topica and that is not the point!" he couldn't help but shout.

Would she ever listen to him?! For once?!

A loud roar stopped their argument and both Chans looked up. The floating head quickly approached them, this time without throwing anything. Jackie watched the tigerman quickly fly to Jace and stop, staring her right in the eyes.

Was this thing terrifying this close. Jackie felt petrified.

"Uh-oh," Jade stepped back. "Wow."

"You…" he muttered in a deep rumbling voice.

Jackie didn't understand what was going on but their staring contest in a middle of a fight threw him off. As if there was some silent communication going on and he didn't dare to break it.

"Ah, the former Queen of the Shadowkhan," the floating head finally broke the pause with a wide grin which Jackie didn't like at all. "Returning to the forces of darkness?"

Now this definitely pulled him out of his trance. Fear of the thing was gone, fear for his niece flashed like never before.

"Thank you, no! Not today!" he grabbed the girl and ran away.

"Ah, what Jackie said!" to his relief she agreed.

For a second he feared that Jade… never mind.

"In time, you're young," the monster sighed behind their backs.

He heard magical blasts and another roar. Tohru and Uncle finally joined the fight.

Jackie reached the black van. He opened the door and placed Jade in a seat next to still unconscious Captain Black. He hoped the man wasn't hit too hard, but they couldn't do anything about it yet. First – demon business.

"Wait here and if anything happens, find cover," Jackie said to his niece and closed the door before she could protest.

Now back to Uncle, Tohru and Floating Head.

* * *

Jade blinked and brushed her eyes.

What was that?..

Last few minutes felt almost like a lucid dream or that one time she stole beer from her dad's office and tried it. Weird and dizzy but also conscious? Kind of? Things she couldn't remember but now suddenly did?

"Ugh, what did Jackie say?" she barely paid attention to what he said before leaving.

Even more than usually. It wasn't her fault, though. That Floating Head gave her a headache.

Find? Find what?

Jade sighed and got out of the van through the other door. Fresh air should clear her head. Suddenly she heard a loud noise. And it wasn't that… thing roaring or Uncle's spells. No… an air engine?

She ran to one of the hangars and peeked in. The Enforcers were getting in a black aircraft with Dark Hand logo on it. Darnit, they almost forgot these three doofuses! Where's Hak Foo, though?

"Get in!"

"Fly-fly-fly!"

Ratso and Finn finally climbed the entrance and closed the door behind them. The plane was still not moving though, just warming up its engines.

Hmmm…

Jade sneaked to the aircraft in shadows, hiding behind boxes and barrels until she reached one of the wheels. She hoped all the movies and cartoons didn't lie…

* * *

"Finally safe, and Chan's busy fighting the T-man," Finn leaned back and took a sip out of wineglass. "Now that's the life."

The plane was fancy, decorated like a top class hotel room in Peking. It had everything one could ever want during a flight – from extra soft, extra large seats to a fridge full of wine and to a working TV – it seemed like someone visited the plane quite regularly. Chow wondered if perhaps this thing had a Jacuzzi.

They should check out the back rooms when they have time…

"Do you think that we can… maybe," Ratso nervously tapped his laps.

"Nah, you know how it is, Tarakudo will have our heads if we try to fly our way,"

"Even if we could, try convincing Mr. Pilot," Chow pointed at the door to the flight deck.

"Aww."

It was still weird to know that Hei Hu was a professional pilot. Not all brawn and no brain.

Finally they felt the plane move. And no Chan yet. Just perfect. Though he'd probably appear at any second. Out of thin air. Chow wasn't even hoping for an easy escape.

All three looked in the windows, expecting the man be right there, but no. He and two wizards were behind them, still on the ground, getting farther and farther away…

Did they really do it this time?

Ratso and Finn groaned when Chan got on an escalatormobilething and it drove after the aircraft.

Of course no.

"Could you speed up?!" Finn shouted to the pilot. "Even my grandma could catch up with us!"

"Hey, I have an idea," Chow snapped his fingers.

"What?"

The Chinese man pointed at the main door with a hand gesture like he opened it.

"No magic is going to save Chan from hundreds metres fall," he chuckled.

"Oh, but he did survive the fall from a falling train in a river," Ratso added.

The three stared at each other with blank faces. Darnit.

"No way he's human."

To be honest no one even questioned it anymore.

"Well, at least it will get him off our tail for a while," Finn sighed.

The men fastened their seatbelts and looked in the windows again. Chan had almost caught up with them. Chow wondered how he was going to get inside. Climb the wing and open the door? But it can't be opened from the outside.

The plane finally started to take off, and it looked like Chan didn't reach them this time…

But they knew better.

A bunch of noise came from below them and a trapdoor on the floor opened. Jackie Chan climbed out of it. Slightly dirty and scratched but alive. How did he do that?

"You want a barf bag, Chan?" Ratso pushed an full bag into his face.

Let's just say the first "flight" with Tarakudo didn't go well.

"What?" the man blinked in surprise.

"Cause you're about to experience some air sickness!" Finn patted his seatbelt and opened the door.

The powerful wind sucked out crying out Chan into open air. Enforcers clung into their seats.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaah!" they heard outside. "Nooooo!"

Priceless.

"Goodbye," Finn smirked.

Was this the end of Jackie Chan?

Chow hoped so.

"Happy trails, Chan!" Ratso waved at him.

The wind was getting a little too strong though. They should close the door before-

Knock, knock, slam!

The backdoor opened wide and a short teenage girl jumped out of it right to the exit. She grabbed into Chow's seat, looking out of the door. She had a parachute and full equipment on.

"Jackie would so not approve," Chan girl said before jumping out of the plane.

The Enforcers stared in shock at her.

 _This girl._

They looked down, watching the girl catch up with the falling Chan. It seemed like the landed safely, to Enforcers' disappointment. Not like they really wanted the girl to break into pieces… but not like they would protest.

"At least we have our health," Ratso shrugged.

The door suddenly broke off before they could close it. And the wind was only getting stronger.

"Shut up, Ratso!" Finn shouted as the plane started to shake.

* * *

 _ **Phew. This was fun, but surprisingly time-consuming.**_

 _ **Half of the dialogue and scenes are pretty much already written, I just need to detail them but it still isn't easy. I also do skip some scenes and change PoV. Can't use Jade to describe the situation when she's not in it.**_

 _ **As you might have already guessed, this story does have dark!Jade plot – which will be one of the most important points. Show never did anything beyond hinting, but oh well, can't blame them, an underage Queen and 1000+ years old King is an awkward topic to discuss.**_

… _ **Don't worry, they won't bang, Tarakudo is not a paedophile (tho he is a cannibal like all oni :P).**_

 _ **But the whole Queen-King thing (not Princess-King or General-King) will be discussed. As I said in the beginning – I will touch uneasy and uncomfortable topics. If idea of exploring relationship/enemyship/friendship/partnership/rivalry/etc between Tarakudo and Jade is not up to your tastes, just skip this fanfic altogether.**_

 _ **Oh, and yes, Jade is in fact 14 in this fic. I've made my own calculations judging the series' events, data and determined how long each season took and how old Jade should be (basically 11 in the first episode and 15 or 16 in season 5 finale).**_

 _ **Yeah, she didn't "age" because cartoon characters don't age in general (even when timeline says they should), but hey, this is what fanfiction is for.**_

 _ **Btw don't worry about Enforcers, they're fine and reached their destination. How? You'll find out in the next chapter. But just a note for the future – don't open doors in a flying plane XD**_

… _ **And yes I know I have a bunch of other fanfics I should work on.**_


	2. The Mask Of The Shadowkhan, part 2

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Jackie Chan Adventures, because if I did, this all would be canon._**

 ** _Thank y'all for your kind comments, I didn't expect such a warm welcome :D For anyone's wondering, Chow calls Hak Foo "Hei Hu" because that's how his actual titel is 'pronounced' (kinda) in Chinese, and since Chow is Chinese, well…_**

 ** _I'll add more such details in future to other characters as well to emphasize more unique thinking and seeing the world, like using bits of their mother tongue and using different words to describe some people (you won't read Jade thinking of Uncle as "old geezer", but Enforcers very well might etc)._**

 ** _Hope you'll enjoy this chapter._**

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 **Chapter** **2**

 **The Mask Of The Shadowkhan, part 2**

 **.**

Wooden planks creaked in the distance.

Tohru opened his eyes and looked around.

His old bedroom was engulfed in darkness. Soft, thick cover felt like an only shield against overwhelming shadows. It was warm, familiar. He was a child, safe, happy, back home. But something was off…

He could hear cold winter wind blow outside. And steps.

Heavy, careful steps.

"Kaa-chan?" he rubbed his eyes and squinted his eyes at the thin paper door.

The steps stopped and Tohru slapped tiny hands over his mouth.

He could see now. A giant silhouette behind the shoji. It was inhuman, with muscled clawed hands, long wild hair reaching the floor. And horns, long sharp horns.

It was no mother.

The stranger reached for the door and slid it slightly open. A monstrous face with yellow tiger eyes stared at him from the darkness. A terrifying grin of sharp fangs was turned right at him.

Tohru trembled in horror and reached for onion under his pillow.

The monster pounced.

* * *

"Aaaah! Kaa-chan!"

Tohru almost jumped from his seat.

"Tohru?"

He suddenly realized he was no little child hiding under a cover, but a startled grown up man on an airplane. In an empty section except him, sensei and Jackie. Who were looking at him with very baffled expressions.

"Heh, bad dream," he anxiously smiled and swept sweat off his forehead.

A door to the bathroom opened and Jade walked out, carrying a sandwich, like it was nothing special. Tohru wasn't even surprised anymore.

"Let me guess – mister Creepy-Head?" she asked with a tiny smirk.

"Jade!" Jackie groaned. "You are supposed to be with Captain Black, helping him recover from the battle."

"Thought I should be here in case you fall from another plane," she nudged her uncle on the shoulder and took one of the empty seats. "Besides, he'll be fine, one use of the Horse talisman and he'll be back in business in no time."

Tohru and Uncle just silently watched these two argue again, both perfectly aware how futile Jackie's attempts to keep the niece away were.

"Jade, the talismans are powerful magical artifacts. We can't use them unless in extreme situations," the martial artist furrowed his eyebrows at his niece.

"Pffft, wouldn't it be more useful to actually… use them? I mean, what's the worst that could've happened?"

"With great power-" the man began again.

"Don't go all uncle Ben on me, Jackie," Jade pouted and looked away. "Uh, in every meaning of that."

The young man sighed and only shook his head. Tohru had noticed that he'd been giving up quicker and quicker lately with each argument. He couldn't really blame him, Jade was almost in a middle of her teenage phase, sometimes she could get really stubborn. But, frankly, he'd seen worse. At least she wasn't running away or chasing boys or having any emotional breakdowns.

One good thing about demon hunts, they sure keep people's minds away from such "normal" problems.

"The head," the Japanese wizard decided to break the awkward silence. "It reminded me of… the Oni."

"The who-ni?" young girl quirked an eyebrow.

All eyes were turned to him now, and the argument was pretty much dead.

"When I was a child growing up in Japan my mother told me of the Oni" he began his tale. "Hideous horned demons, who would sneak into the rooms of disobedient children."

Hideous horned demons didn't describe even a bit just how horrifying these things were.

"And what did they want with these disobedient children?" Jackie smiled and looked at Jade, who in return only stuck out her tongue at him.

"The Oni would," he couldn't help but shudder just thinking about it. "Eat their souls. Ughh."

The answer didn't seem to scare the others like it did Tohru himself. They just exchanged glances and shrugged.

"So these oni are like Japanese boogie men?" Jade waved her hands at him with a smirk.

"Feh!" Uncle waved a hand at her dismissively." Fairy tales! Floating head cannot be Oni!"

Tohru had never been relieved more to fight a demon monstrosity threatening the world, just because it couldn't be Oni!

"It can't?" he beamed at Sensei.

"Of course not! Everyone who has controlled the Shadowkahn has been Chinese," Uncle angrily waved his hands in the air and began counting on fingers. "Shendu, Chinese. Daolan Wong, Chinese. But oni are Japanese!"

Phew. What a relief.

The door to the cockpit opened and one of the staff looked out, her expression completely disinterested. Did she hear everything, Tohru wondered?

"The Dark Hand jet has landed in Hong Kong," she reported. "…Or rather nearly crushed there. It was seized by local police but the thugs have escaped with help of… a gloating tiger head."

"You mean floating?" Jade shrugged.

"That too."

She left while the group began preparing their things. They were nearly there.

"See? Hong Kong. Chinese!" Uncle announced triumphally.

Tohru was hoping with all his being that he was right.

* * *

"Phew, I can't believe we got out of that thing alive," Chow cracked his fingers and looked around.

He also could hardly believe they were back to this cursed place… and that despite all the dust and crumble above the ground there was a whole maze under it.

The demons sure like to have their secrets safe and sound, even after their own demise.

"Yeah, thank to you, big T," Finn grinned at the giant head floating in front of them. "Saved our skins big time."

"Next time try not to destroy your means of transportation in the beginning of the trip," Tarakudo grumbled.

Chow wondered if perhaps using these telekinetic powers too much gave him a headache. Carrying a whole airplane up in the air for half of day must take a lot from you.

"But why did you bring us here, if, uh, you don't mind asking, Boss?"

"I thought this whole place was long gone," Ratso looked around, at old crumbling walls.

"Oh, you will see very soon."

Perhaps the biggest surprise was that the demon saved their butts. Shendu or Wong would've probably left them to die in a crush.

Maybe this time wouldn't be that bad…

* * *

"Shendu's palace?"

Tohru had a very bad feeling about this.

"Shendu collected many artifacts possessing great magic," Uncle scratched his long chin, looking at the ruins. "Floating head may be seeking one of these."

It looked completely destroyed, just dust and rocks. Where could the Dark Hand go? It didn't look like there was anything left… or anywhere to hide.

The Japanese wizard half-hoped they wouldn't find an entrance.

"Check it out!" Jade's voice crushed that hope into dust.

They followed her voice and found a hole in the ground, an opening into a maze. Something told him the floating head was here too.

"Rabbit hole," she grinned and pointed at footprints in the ground.

"Eeh, I will… stand guard outside," Tohru nervously scratched the back of his neck.

But by looks of the other three he could tell they wouldn't leave him there.

"Aww. Don't be afraid, T," Jade winked at him and jumped into darkness. "It's just a silly old head."

"Just a silly old soul-stealing Shadowkhan controlling head," he gulped and reluctantly followed them into the underground maze.

* * *

Tarakudo had to have some sort of magical sense to find his way in the maze. He made them pass many rooms filled with ancient artifacts, ignoring them all, before they reached the deepest one. It was filled with dusty and empty bookshelves. A stone 'tomb' was placed in the centre with hieroglyphs which Chow couldn't read.

"Aaah," the floating head grinned as they slowly approached the thing. "Consider it… a gift."

"Oooh, just like Christmas!" Ratso eagerly rubbed his hands.

"Bet there is a ton of treasure in it," Chow grinned as they pushed the stone lid away on the floor.

Enforcers looked inside.

It was an ugly thing. A violet monster mask with green hair and creepy small red eyes. Sharp fangs looked like they could rip through human skin. Thin golden and black swirls decorated it. It was familiar… something Japanese for sure.

Chow wondered if this was a pal of Tarakudo. Would they now have two floating heads around?

And he thought he'd seen it all in recent years serving under demons and wizards.

"Dude," Finn looked back in annoyance. "You brought us all this way for a mask?"

To his surprise the Boss was gone.

"It was from this mask that Shendu drew the power to control this Shadowkhan army," he reappeared right in front of Finn, giving everyone a scare. "And through which Daolon Wong's magic channeled that very same power."

So that's how they did that?

"Why don't you see how it fits?" he glanced at Hei Hu with a smirk.

The red-headed hulk picked up the mask and turned it around, pushed hair away. It did seem like a perfect fit.

"Yesss," Hei Hu grinned and moved the mask to his face.

Did he have to make every phrase sound like he was shooting a bad porno?

Suddenly, Chan appeared jumping over their heads. He flew through Tarakudo, making the floating head fuzz out like a bad hologram, and kicked the mask out of Hei Hu's hands up in the air. With incredible agility he grabbed the mask and landed on the floor.

Saw it coming.

"Urgggh!" Chow could swear Hei Hu's face became as red as his hair. "Seagull Shucks Oyster!"

He leaped at Chan and threw several punches at him, missing but also driving the intruder farther away from Enforcers.

Another growl made Enforcers turned around and faced a very fierce-looking Tohru. They quickly launched at him with furious cries.

* * *

The plan went just as… well, planned. They traced Enforcers and the floating head with help of Uncle's magic and soon found them in a room filled with books and dust, talking about some… mask and then battle commenced.

Jade felt enthralled, but she had to admit something about this place gave her… the willies?

She followed Uncle as she'd been told to, who was just walking around, inspecting bookshelves while Jackie and Tohru did all the action. Aww, she wanted to kick some ass, too. She saw Tohru throw Ratso away with a good punch and the Enforcer crushed into one of the bookshelves. Books fell all over him and he grunted, trying to get up. Jade snickered, what a klutz.

Uncle stopped and frowned at the mobster, but he and his floating head pal didn't seem to notice them yet.

"Again?!" his voice boomed. "Who ARE these people?"

Just someone who's gonna kick your ass back where it belongs, Creepy Head.

"Well, Jackie Chan is some of a do-gooder, and the bug guy over there used to be one of us but now he is on their side," Ratso started explaining, pointing at everyone and finally turned to Jade with Uncle. "And the old guy pointing a blowfish-"

A green blast sent him flying away. Uncle blew away a smoke from his lazer gun/blowfish like the baddasest wizard ever.

Jade didn't know what was funnier: Ratso's squeak as he flew into another bookshelf or Tarakudo's completely baffled expression.

Tara… Tarakudo? Where did that name come from? Um, probably just from some commercial, he does look like a typical cereal villain ready to steal your chocolate cereal bunnies.

"Who else wants a piece of Uncle?!" the old man's voice brought her back to reality.

"You have no idea who you are dealing with!" the monster's deep voice rumbled in an angry chuckle.

"Enlighten me!" Uncle smugly smirked.

Wasn't Jade's family just the coolest?

"Bow before Tarakudo!" the floating head rose high above the ground, baring his sharp fangs at the humans. "King of all Shadowkhan, Lord of all Oni!"

Woah.

She did know his name.

But how?

"So you are Japanese!" even Uncle was taken aback by a surprising reveal.

The Oni Lord cringed and a wave of telekinetic power threw Uncle way back.

"Consider yourself enlightened," the monster smirked.

* * *

The fight was going better than Chow expected. Being thrown around wasn't really that bad, compared to the usual experience with Chans. In fact, they actually even surrounded him this time.

The martial artist glanced around as they approached him, ready to launch at him any second. The mask was in his hands, but for not too long.

"Tohru!" the man shouted and turned around.

He threw the mask before they could stop Finn and Ratso pushed him on the ground. The mask was about to fly right into the giant when a wave of telekinesis stopped in right in the middle.

"Mind over matter," the familiar voice sounded and it flew back right towards Hei Hu.

This time Chow was on guard, though, and when he saw a small teenage girl dah towards the artifact and dashed too.

"Mine!" she screamed and jumped, reaching for the mask.

"Not so fast!" he cried out.

Maybe it wasn't such a great idea.

They slammed into Hei Hu and all three fell on the ground. Chow groaned and looked up when something hit his face.

"Hey," he felt green hair slips right through his head and the wooden mask itself fuse into his face. "What's going on?"

He opened his eyes. Even his glasses now were a part of him.

"Hmm, I wanted that," he heard Hei Hu whine.

Everything felt so weird. His senses heightened. His body ached no more from bruises. In fact he felt good… invincible, even, almost as good as when he was a dark warrior. Only this time he felt like he didn't just can crush everyone in his path. He wanted to.

"Handsome devil, isn't he?" Tarakudo flew to him, his floating head distorted and that creepy grin grew literally ear-to-ear wide. "Chow here will stick around and familiarize himself with his new powers while we make further preparations."

The Oni Lord uplifted other Enforcers and they all flew away into the maze. He was left alone but… he wasn't afraid. Or even anxious.

In fact, when Jackie Chan jumped on him and grabbed into the mask's… no, his horns and tried to pull it away he didn't even flinch.

"Uh, what does he mean by "further preparations?" he could hear the girl whisper to the old geezer even though they were rather far away.

"Ugh! Ack!" the martial artists puffed and huffed.

Annoyed, Chow pushed him with just his palms and sent flying to the other side of the room.

Amazing.

"Four against one," Chow patted his jacket, dusting off dirt. "Now that hardly seems fair."

He could feel it deep in his bones, far into his mind. Their presence was everywhere and nowhere, and they were ready to listen. Listen and follow.

He roared, intensively knowing how to do that, and his growl echoed in the room. Like a wolf – or uh, a tiger – he summoned his followers.

"Uh, Jackie," the girl's voice was weak.

The kid was afraid.

There was something in Jade that just kept getting his attention. He couldn't tell for sure but… she felt like a déjà vu. Not even to him, but to the mask, if that made any sense.

"I'm getting the feeling this mask-thing gives Chow the power to summon-"

Little brave teen was right to fear, for dozens of dark ninja emerged from shadows all around them. Ready to slice and dice them into pieces.

"Shadowkhan."

* * *

Chow looked hideous… and a little cool, actually – with that creepy mask on his face. It didn't even look like its original design that much anymore, fitting his face (and even sunglasses) like a second skin.

He snapped his fingers and ninja warriors dashed at them all at once.

Uncle blasted several of them with his blowfish and didn't even crouch or flinch, while Jackie had to fight back a few.

No one paid attention to Jade, who hid behind the stone table in the centre, and she didn't mind it for once. She felt a little nauseous for some reason. Shouldn't had had that extra sandwich on their way here.

So perhaps this was one battle she wouldn't mind just watching.

Ten Shadowkhan crawled all over Tohru like some cockroaches and he crashed into the bookshelf, poofing them out.

They were many, but they were still fragile as paper.

Chow walked to the giant from behind in a relaxed manner and tapped him on a shoulder. Tohru looked back

"Boo," Chow grinned.

The wizard squealed and stumbled back, like a scared child.

Ugh, this wasn't the time for your childhood fears, pal!

"Face your fears, T!" Jade shouted to him for some reassurance.

It worked!

Tohru growled and jumped at the Enforcer. This just had to hurt!

"Light as a feather," and to everyone's surprise Chow just caught him with one hand and raised above his head.

Just how strong did that mask make him?!

The mobster threw the Japanese wizard to the opposite side of the room like he weighted a pound max. Jade's friend landed on the ground. Ouch.

Uncle was fighting with his blowfish and rather well. Why again Tohru didn't get his too?

"Aiyaah! We must remove demon-mask from the host in order to defeat Shadowkhan!" he shouted to his nephew. "Jackie! One more thing! Keep Shadowkhan busy, so Uncle can cast a proper spell!"

"I am trying, Uncle!"

Jackie was too busy running away from, like, a dozen of ninjas. Only a few even paid any attention to them.

"What spell would that be, sensei?" Tohru got up.

"Hmm?" the old wizard shrugged.

Jade quickly checked the stone uh box thing where mask used to be. It had to have something that could help, right? Maybe another demon book with Tarakudo's symbol? They couldn't be losing their first battle against a new great evil!

The teenager noticed something laying on the ground. It was the lid. It cracked and a few pieces fell off, but it was intact overall.

"Hey, lookie here," she waved to Uncle and Tohru.

How didn't she notice it before? Scratch that, who makes a picture book out of stone lid?

"Maybe this picture book can help," she placed the pieces together as well as she could.

It had several pictures, images of Oni like Tarakudo and this mask's… original form? And hieroglyphs which Jade couldn't read.

The Chinese Wizard sat down and thoroughly inspected the thing while Jade and Tohru kept an eye on any possible danger. Jackie and the Shadowkhan fled back into the maze along with Chow. It became quiet.

"What these encryptions say, Unc?" she finally asked.

"These are Japanese Kanji, Uncle only reads Chinese!" the old wizard shrugged.

"Well, duh," Jade pointed at Tohru.

"I read Japanese," he nodded. "But it has been many years, in fact, I am probably too shaky, so forget that I mentioned it."

"Tohru, read Kanji now!"

"Yes, sensei."

He inspected them for a few seconds, but by his expression Jade could tell it wasn't going well.

Darnit, if this continues like this they'll have… ugh. Flee. She couldn't let their new enemy think they're weak!

"I… I can barely understand anything, sensei," the man sighed. "It's ancient Japanese, I don't read it. But I do recognize some magical symbols. It seems like a spell, and I think hieroglyphs near it mean 'to banish' or 'to trap'."

"So it's probably the spell which trapped this Oni, right?" Jade was growing impatient. "Let's do it."

"But what if it brings more enemies or entraps us?" Tohru shook his head. "If only we could read what it says…"

Hmm, read what it says, huh? That's it!

"Gimme a sec," Jade took out her phone, special mobile phone made specifically by Kepler and other Sector 13 geniuses.

She snapped several photos of the hieroglyphs and sent them back to Captain Black. They did have connections, maybe to someone who could translate this all.

"The spell seems to be a typical enchanting spell meant to entrap magic or a spirit in an object," Tohru explained. "That's how the mask was made."

"So?"

"Hmm, with the ingredients listed here and some elements of the spell reversed it might be possible to separate the mask from the host," Tohru scratched his chin.

"What ingredients do we need?"

"Japanese steel."

"Aiyaaah!" Uncle slapped his forehead. "We will not find steel of the samurai sword here, because Shendu is not Japanese!"

Not with that attitude.

Jade left the two arguing and sneaked back into the maze. The ninjakhan were too busy chasing her uncle to pay attention to her. Jackie was still fighting the Shadowkhan, but he was growing tired.

"Woah!" Jackie ran past her. "Jade, stay away!"

And so he was gone once again.

Several silver shuriken were stuck in a wall. Jade pulled one out.

"Well, it doesn't say made in Taiwan," she examined it.

Just to make sure, she pulled another one and put in a pocket.

* * *

Chan was cornered, surrounded, outnumbered.

The time had come to defeat the annoying do-gooder and all the glory would belong to him, Chow. They would achieve victory and Lord Tarakudo would be proud.

The Oni general slowly walked to the centre, his posture proud and tall. Well, as tall as this puny body allowed. He sure missed his tall and hulky old self, that giant Hei Hu was a much better candidate.

Chow shook his head, fighting back a sudden dizziness. What was that about?

"Smackdown time, Chan," he flexed his muscles and his jacket literally fell apart in pieces.

A good fight should get him back to his senses.

He jumped at the opponent, aiming a kick right at his face, barely missing and making a crack in the ground with his newfound power. He punched Jackie Chan with an incredible speed, sending him into the Shadowkhan circling around them.

"You've been working out, Chow," the man cracked a joke before ninjas threw him back to his opponent.

"We'll see who's gonna have the last laugh this time, Chan."

Several next punches hit the target and Chow absorbed his pained enemy's cries and grunts like it was the best sound in the world. Finally, for all these years of humiliation and failure, pain and disappointment.

Each punch went stronger and stronger until Jackie Chan could barely stand less avoid his attacks.

Finally he fell on his knees.

"It's over, Chan," Chow grinned, ready to finish his job.

Old and younger voices sounded from someplace else, and though Chow couldn't understand a word, he felt horrifying fear pierce him through.

He turned around and saw the wizard cast some spell, together, their magical lazer-dead-animals glowing green.

NonononoNO!

"Yes, it is," Chan grinned.

A ray of green light flashed in their direction, but Chow ducked and it missed him, instead hitting Chan.

HAH! Missed!

"Jackie! Remove mask!"

Shit.

Somehow even after all that beatdown Jackie Chan jumped on him and grabbed onto his horns, pulling them. This time Chow felt the mask budge.

"Get him off me!" he shouted in panic.

Shadowkhan grabbed into him and Chan, trying to pull them apart, with all their might.

* * *

Jade, Uncle and Tohru watched ninjakhan play pulling game with Jackie and Chow. It was kind of funny, but…

"Why it isn't coming off?" Jade asked impatiently.

"Patience," Uncle waved his hand.

Oh, come on.

Finally Jackie pulled the mask off Chow's face – ironically Shadowkhan only made it easier for him. Jade felt the ninjas freeze before even their owner did.

"Destroy him!" Chow shouted and pointed at her uncle.

But the Shadowkhan melted and dissolved back into shadows around him. The battle was over.

Chow backed away until he stumbled into Tohru. He turned back and looked up with a terrified expression at the giant in front of him.

"Boo," her friend smirked.

"Waah!" Chow ran away like a complete pansy.

Jade snickered. They won. Like they were supposed to!

"Perhaps this will be safer in the Vault at Section 13," Jackie sighed with relief and looked at the ugly mask in his hand.

"New evil has been defeated!" Uncle smiled at his nephew with pride in his eyes.

Ugh, then why did she had that bad feeling in her gut? Not over that sandwich or-?

Her phone rang and she looked at the message.

"Umm, one more thing?" she pointed at the stone table.

* * *

"Guys? Guys?!"

Chow finally found a way out of the maze. Chans didn't pursue him and he couldn't find other Enforcers or Tarakudo nearby. The night was starry, fresh and quiet.

"Hey, guess this means I'm finally a free henchman," he grinned.

Sure, he'd miss other Enforcers, a little, probably, but-

A wave of telekinses lifted him in the air, freezing his movements and Chow felt being pulled somewhere else.

"Woooah!" he cried out as the magic sent him fast and far.

The flight was quick and exhilarating and by the end he smacked right into the ground near some waterfall.

"Don't do that!" Chow stood up on shaking knees and muttered into Tarakudo's face.

"You have failed me," the Oni rumbled in a deep voice, towering over him, bigger than even before.

Chow quickly came to his senses and fell on the ground, bending his back and bowing to the demon. He remembered how it went, he'd had enough of torture and punishment!

"Do not fret," the Oni unexpectedly sighed and flew past him. "It is but a… minor defeat."

Chow couldn't believe what happened. He wasn't punished, he wasn't tortured, he wasn't even yelled at.

Other three seemed no less surprised.

"That's cool," the red-head helped him to get up and smiled at their new boss.

"Tarakudo's an okay guy," Ratso nodded.

He couldn't agree more.

"Besides, our mission has only yet began," the Oni glanced back at them.

"Uhh?" Finn and him exchanged glances.

"It… has?"

* * *

"So, Captain Black quickly found several experts and that's what they say," Jade pointed at her phone. "Apparently the writings tell of ancient warriors who once cast a spell to defeat this oni, general Kawakao. Tarakudo once terrorized the land with his generals, each having his own different tribe of Shadowkhan."

"Different… how?"

"I would prefer not to have to find out," Jackie sighed.

"His reign came to an end, when the spirits of his generals were trapped within masks. Or danced with the flasks, either way, there were nine generals… and I guess, now we have nine masks."

Nine different tribes of Shadowkhan, huh? Just how different they were from ninjakhans? Stronger? Weaker? Faster? Some just had to be samurai, she was sure of it.

Jade was both thrilled and scared to find out.

"What are we waiting for?" Uncle started jumped to his feet. "There are eight more masks, which we must find before forces of darkness do!"

He looked really agitated, but also determined. Jade wasn't sure what was scarier – forces of darkness or irritated Uncle.

"Let me guess… the masks were scattered across the Earth?" Jackie rolled his eyes.

"Yep," Jade read the message and nodded. "But it gets only worse."

She ignored his groan and read further.

"Should the masks ever be rejoined their combined power can summon enough darkness to cover the land… or Earth in eternal night. Or rainclouds. I guess they didn't have that much time to translate it all."

"Aiyaaah!" Uncle shouted once more. "Tohru must do research!"

"He must?" the big man asked in a weak voice.

"You were told childhood tales of oni by mother. You made up the spell on foot. You read Japanese. You are Japanese!" he poked him in the chest with a fierce expression. "So YOU must do research!"

Hey! She helped too! Ugh, why she couldn't help with magical research? Didn't she prove many times already that she knows how to think fast and find solutions? So what if she's just fourteen?

Typical adults…

"Yes, sensei," Tohru gulped and nodded.

Oh well. At least she had a new reason to skip several weeks of school. She had already missed the geography test! Woohoo!

"New adventure, aha! Find the masks!" Jade did a little victory dance, she earned it. "Fight Tarakudo, yeah!"

Jackie and Tohru picked up the stone picture book and they all headed back to the exit where a helicopter should wait for them to get back to airport, and from where – whenever they needed to go.

This year was going to be awesome!

.

* * *

.

 ** _Well, that's it for now. The first episode is over, finally! Took me longer than I thought, but it is finished!_**

 ** _Each episode will take two chapters, and since I'm skipping fillers the overall length of 4_** ** _th_** ** _season will be 20 chapters._**

 ** _The episodes which will be written are:_**

 ** _1._** ** _Samurai Ratso_**

 ** _2._** ** _The Amazing T-Troop_**

 ** _3._** ** _The Black Magic_**

 ** _4._** ** _The Demon Behind_**

 ** _5._** ** _Fright Fight Night_**

 ** _6._** ** _Half A Mask Of Kung-Fu_**

 ** _7._** ** _The Shadow Eaters_**

 ** _8._** ** _Ninja Twilight (this one will be rewritten as a two-episode finally like it should've been and take four chapters instead of two)._**

 ** _Next time – Chans and Enforcers visit Japan and Ratso plays baseball with his personal Ninjakhan buddies!_**

 ** _Oh, and someone might get sliced and diced, probably._**


End file.
